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Hag
Hags have been around since the beginning of time. The first hags, night hags, were the children of Khyber, and ruled the world alongside the rakshasa. After the fiends' defeat at the hands of the dragons during the Age of Demons, the hags have been scattered, hiding either beneath the Khyber or within the Demon Wastes. In 987 YK, three hags, the Daughters of Sora Kell, announced a new nation, Droaam, where the monstrous races can call home. Other hags have migrated to Droaam and support the Daughters. History The Foundation of Droaam Over the years, the hags moved from creatures of history to creatures of legend. Even with the advent of the Last War, the communities in western part of Khorvaire spoke of fearsome creatures that haunted the nightmares of children. Especially noted were a trio of hags known collectively as the Daughters of Sora Kell. Whispers spoke of Sora Katra, a green hag that had haunted the Shadow Marches for generations; of Sora Maenya, the gruesome annis hag that hunted within the Eldeen Reaches; and of Sora Teraza, an enigmatic dusk hag that explored the ancient ruins within the Demon Wastes. However, in the year 987 YK, the three hags went from legends to headlines. Over the years leading up to 987, Breland had faced more and more monstrous incursions on their western border. With the Last War in full swing, and with Breland facing multiple front lines with Aundair, Thrane, and Cyre, Brelish forces could not spend the resources protecting their citizens in the west. In early 987 YK, King Boranel of Breland evacuated the remaining settlements west of the Graywall Mountains was the land was considered off limits. Shortly afterwards, the Daughters of Sora Kell came forward as a unified force, and announced the formation of a new nation: the monstrous nation of Droaam. Droaam would be a haven for all the creatures feared and shunned by the common races of Eberron. The Daughters called a summit at the Great Crag, and the representatives of a wide variety of races came forward: gnolls, harpies, medusas, minotaurs, ogres, and orcs. Sora Katra established the basic system of tribute that passes for government in Droaam, and the great forces of monsters bended their knees to these three rulers. However, the other races were less accepting. At the end of the Last War, the great nations of Khorvaire gathered to sign the Treaty of Thronehold. The nation of Droaam, however, was not invited, and its sovereignty was denied. Whatever the case, the Daughters of Sora Kell continued to stabilize their new nation, and have even entered into negotiations with House Tharashk to supply them monstrous troops. Many of the remaining hags not affiliated with the Demon Wastes have traveled to Droaam and joined the forces of the Daughters. Species There are number of different species of hags in Eberron. Some hags spawn off other hags; for instance, dusk hags are known offspring of night hags. Known hags in Eberron include: Annis Hag Annis hags resemble ancient female humans, but with deep blue hair and filthy black skin. They stand 8 feet tall, and weigh about 325 lbs. Annis hags can disguise themselves through magic, and will frequently pose as either innocent commoners or timid young female giants in order to get the element of surprise. When they attack, they use their large claws to rake against opponents. The nails on their hands are as tough as steel and as sharp as a knife. Annis hags are superhumanly strong, and can rend their enemies in two. They are somewhat resistant to spells, and possess darkvision. Annis hags either live alone, or within covens with other hags. They sometimes use ogres as their manual labor. Dusk Hag Dusk hags resemble gnarled human crones with shriveled skin the color of aged parchment and tangled gray hair. They are about the same height and weight as an elderly female human. Dusk hags strive to find the hidden knowledge of the world. They will often parlay with others, trading knowledge, but the knowledge gained from a dusk hag often comes with a price. Dusk hags can induce nightmares in creatures they touch; and they themselves suffer dreams about the past, present, and future. Dusk hags shun combat, but are capable of defending themselves. They can disguise themselves, and can generate fog clouds which they can use to escape from a fight. Like other hags, dusk hags have razor-sharp claws. Dusk hags are the offspring of night hags. Green Hag Green hags look like withered human females with sickly green skin and dark green, tangled hair that resembles twisted vines atop their heads. They are usually the same height and weight as human females. Green hags have a large amount of spell-like abilities: they can disguise themselves, can turn invisible, can speak any language, and can breathe underwater. They often use their darkvision to hunt their prey in the night. They can drain the energies of their foes with a touch. They can mimic the voices of other creatures, and use this ability to help better ambush their targets. Green hags live in hag coveys, or with ogre or giant guards. Night Hag Night hags are one of the first children of Khyber. Born from the Progenitor Dragon's blood, the night hags and their brethren the rakshasa quickly conquered Eberron, but were eventually put down by the dragons and the couatls. Today, most of the few remaining night hags call Droaam their home. Night hags look like hideously ugly human women. Their flesh range from blue to violet, and is covered with warts, blisters, and open sores. Night hags' hair is wiry and black, and their teeth are jagged and yellow. Their eyes burn red with the heat of hatred. Night hags hunger for human flesh, and feed on their prey with abandon. Their razor-sharp claws can rip through armor as easily as it does flesh. They carry a disease called "demon fever," which infects their prey with their bite. Night hags have a large amount of spell-like abilities. They can detect a creature's alignment, can change their shapes, can cause their targets to become weakened or to go to sleep, and can become ethereal. Many night hags have a periapt called a hearthstone which it can use to enter the dreams of others. The hearthstone can also cure someone of demon fever. The night hags of the Demon Wastes have their own cult: the Moon Reavers. This tribe of the Carrion Tribes is made up of mostly barbarians who revel in spreading fear by the night of the moon. They specialize in terror tactics and guerrilla warfare. Religion Most hags do not follow a deity or deities, having their origins back to the Age of Demons. For instance, the Daughters of Sora Kell will allow the worship of the Mockery and the Shadow within Droaam, but they do not bend their knee to them. However, some hags themselves are worshiped by others. For instance, the Moon Reavers of the Demon Wastes worship the night hags in that land. Homelands Some hags live in the nation of Droaam, where the Daughters of Sora Kell rule. Others, though, continue to live on their own. A few green hags have been seen living in the Shadow Marches. The night hags call the Demon Wastes home; however, their numbers are not what they once were during the Age of Demons. Only nine night hags still live within the Demon Wastes, most of them embarking on their own mystical research. They continue to explore ancient ruins for arcane tomes from the Age of Demons. Notable Names * The most famous hags are the Daughters of Sora Kell: Sora Katra (a green hag), Sora Maenya (an annis hag), and Sora Teraza (a dusk hag). As their name implies, they are the children of Sora Kell (a night hag). Their father(s) is unknown, though is presumed to be a fiend, since all three hags are half-fiends. * Jabra is a night hag and said to be a distant cousin of Sora Kell. She runs an alchemy shop in the city of Graywall in Droaam. * Kyrale is the head of the night hags of the Demon Wastes. She serves as an ambassador to the other powers within the Wastes. * Vraria is a night hag that rules the small thorp of Rotting Blade, an entire village of humans, orcs, and kobolds all there to do her bidding. Behind the Scenes Unlike other campaign settings, the Night Hag is considered a native outsider in Eberron. Other hags have been introduced in both the 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons (like the bog hag, the dune hag, the marzanna, the sea hag, and the shrieking hag), and in 4th edition (like the bog hag, the death hag, the dream hag, the howling hag, the mist hag, the pact hag, the river hag, the stygian hag, and the winter hag), however none of these other hags have been placed within the world of Eberron. Appendix External Links * References Category:Monstrous Humanoids Category:Outsiders Category:Shapeshifters